Main trade-off
Sennheiser HD 560S
Open cups let room noise in and music out.
Head-to-head
Sennheiser HD 560S vs HD 620S: HD 620S closes the cups for a shared room
The short answer
Choose HD 620S when you share a room or need closed cups around household noise. Choose HD 560S for a quiet private listening spot where open-back leakage is acceptable. Both supply a 1.8 m analog lead, so the larger difference is the room they suit.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
Room sharing is a hard boundary
If open-cup leakage is unacceptable, choose the closed HD 620S rather than treating the two as interchangeable.
What this is based on
Official construction specifications state open HD 560S and closed HD 620S.
Main trade-off
Sennheiser HD 620S
It has no active noise cancellation.
Sennheiser HD 560S
- Choose it for
- You listen alone in a quiet room.
- Open-back sound leakage is acceptable.
- Main trade-off
- Open cups let room noise in and music out.
Sennheiser HD 620S
- Choose it for
- A partner or colleague sits nearby.
- You want a closed wired headphone without charging.
- Main trade-off
- It has no active noise cancellation.
About this comparison
HD 560S or HD 620S? Compare open and closed listening in a shared room, their matching cable reach and the limits of passive noise isolation.
Choose HD 620S when you share a room or need closed cups around household noise. Choose HD 560S for a quiet private listening spot where open-back leakage is acceptable. Both supply a 1.8 m analog lead, so the larger difference is the room they suit.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Someone is working next to you
Closed HD 620S is the more suitable starting point for limiting spill.
- Sennheiser HD 560S
- Caution
- Sennheiser HD 620S
- Better fit
Quiet bedroom used alone
HD 560S has the environment its open design requires.
- Sennheiser HD 560S
- Better fit
- Sennheiser HD 620S
- Good
You want ANC on a flight
Neither has ANC, even though HD 620S is closed.
- Sennheiser HD 560S
- Not suitable
- Sennheiser HD 620S
- Not suitable
Output follows a 2 m cable route
Both supplied 1.8 m leads are too short before allowing slack.
- Sennheiser HD 560S
- Caution
- Sennheiser HD 620S
- Caution
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
Room sharing is a hard boundary
If open-cup leakage is unacceptable, choose the closed HD 620S rather than treating the two as interchangeable.
How we reached this conclusion
Official construction specifications state open HD 560S and closed HD 620S.
A longer model name does not add cable reach
Both leave the same 0.2 m shortfall on a 2 m cable route.
How we reached this conclusion
2 - 1.8 = 0.2 m for each supplied lead.
Closed does not mean active noise cancelling
HD 620S changes the enclosure, but it does not add the battery-powered cancellation system that a travel ANC headphone uses.
How we reached this conclusion
HD 620S is a passive wired closed-back design with no ANC system.
Check your own setup
Which headphones work with the way you listen?
Start with the way you listen. USB charging is not the same as USB audio, and some headphones need power even with a cable. These choices are examples until you apply yours.
Sennheiser HD 560S
Does not meet these checksThis model does not play over Bluetooth.
Sennheiser HD 620S
Does not meet these checksThis model does not play over Bluetooth.
Battery figures are manufacturer claims for the stated mode, not measured travel time. Volume, codec, calls and battery age change runtime. Closed earcups can still leak sound. Weight alone does not predict comfort. USB audio needs a compatible source and cable. This check does not assess sound quality, microphone quality or amplifier power.
Choice A
Sennheiser, HD 560S
HD 560S
An open wired pair for a quiet desk, with a replaceable cable and a 3.5 mm plug. Keep it at home if people sit close by.
- Best matched use
- Listening at a quiet desk without charging
Checked facts
- The current US package lists a 1.8 m cable and a 6.3 mm adapter.
- The manufacturer specifies a 120-ohm dynamic driver.
- The earcups use an open-back design.
Choice B
Sennheiser, HD 620S
HD 620S
A closed wired alternative when you cannot give open-back headphones a quiet room. It uses a detachable 1.8 m lead rather than a wireless connection.
- Best matched use
- Wired listening in a shared home office
Checked facts
- The earcups have a closed-back construction.
- A detachable 1.8 m cable ends in 3.5 mm, with a 6.35 mm adapter supplied.
- The driver impedance is 150 ohms.
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Sennheiser HD 560S | Sennheiser HD 620S | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Open-back | Closed-back | This determines whether shared-room use is sensible. |
| Supplied cable length | 1.8 m | 1.8 m | Neither provides extra reach. |
| Nominal impedance | 120 ohms | 150 ohms | The modest difference is not a loudness comparison. |
| Cable attachment | Detachable | Detachable | Both can replace a damaged lead. |
| Analog connectors | 3.5 mm and supplied 6.3 mm adapter | 3.5 mm and supplied 6.35 mm adapter | Both cover common headphone outputs. |
| Active noise cancellation | No | No | HD 620S isolation comes from construction, not ANC. |
| Microphone or Bluetooth | Neither | Neither | Neither is a wireless work-call headset. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Sennheiser HD 560S
- A USB-only phone needs a separate headphone adapter.
If you choose Sennheiser HD 620S
- The included cable has no microphone for work calls.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
You listen alone in a quiet room.
Choose Sennheiser HD 560S. HD 620S addresses a condition that HD 560S cannot solve by changing an EQ or cable. Closed cups help contain playback and reduce room sound, although no passive headphone makes a room disappear.
A partner or colleague sits nearby.
Choose Sennheiser HD 620S. HD 560S remains a sensible open-back choice if nobody nearby needs silence and outside sound is low. Buying closed purely because the number is higher misses that context.
What matters in practice
How to make the call
A shared room changes the recommendation
HD 620S addresses a condition that HD 560S cannot solve by changing an EQ or cable. Closed cups help contain playback and reduce room sound, although no passive headphone makes a room disappear.
Keep the open design in a quiet setting
HD 560S remains a sensible open-back choice if nobody nearby needs silence and outside sound is low. Buying closed purely because the number is higher misses that context.
The connection plan stays almost unchanged
Both use short detachable analog leads and conventional headphone plugs. USB-only devices still need the right DAC, and neither provides a microphone over the stock cable.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- No measured isolation amount is available in this comparison.
- Weight is not used because the sources do not establish a clean common basis for this pair.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current headphones comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
Compared set
21 of 60 models checked match every need here: “I want music when the battery is empty”, “I plug into a headphone jack”, and “I do not want another thing to charge”.
21 matching models from 60 checkedSee the checked facts and calculation notes
Match countThe count uses the current product-to-need assignments for “I want music when the battery is empty”, “I plug into a headphone jack”, and “I do not want another thing to charge”. A need with no documented match does not count.
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser HD 560S |
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| Sennheiser HD 620S |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Sennheiser HD 560S
You listen alone in a quiet room.
See price & reviews on AmazonSennheiser HD 620S
A partner or colleague sits nearby.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.